The Hanging Tree
by The Red-Head Valkyrie
Summary: She was the Victor. She had won the games. But instead of "Catching Fire", she hung herself for the freedom. Rated T for slight graphic violence. One-shot


_While reading the last Hunger Games book, I wondered why did Katniss's mother was so against the song. Then I started to wonder about what other Tributes, or Victors were used by President Snow. Like if he did this before, and what would happen if someone else stood up to him. If so, and the song was about it, it would make sense if it was taboo to sing it. Especially to the Wealthier people in the Districts. So here is my little take on the story behind the Hanging Tree. This is my second fan-fic so please bear with me. I highly suggest listening to renditions of the Hanging Tree on Youtube while reading this. OH! Almost forgot. I do not own the hunger games, nor the song hanging tree, nor the rendition on youtube. _

_This is the one I listened to when I wrote this. .com/watch?v=54_LE1YuMRc_

_May the Odds ever be in your favor._

* * *

><p><strong><em>Are you, are you, coming to the tree?<em>**

Her bare feet quietly, and quickly moved through the streets of district 10. Her face quiet, still strong. Only her lower lip trembled giving away any emotions as she rounded the corner of the nearest building.

**_Where they strung up a man they say murdered three?_**

She still couldn't believe that this had happened. Not after everything she went through for him. Not after the arena, and the damn Hunger Games. Yes, she killed. Yes, she murdered all those children who where just like her. But when the President came calling, came demanding she do things. She couldn't believe it.

**_Strange things did happen here, no stranger would it be, if we met up at midnight in the Hanging Tree._**

He told her not to worry. He told her everything was going to be fine, that the President couldn't, wouldn't do such things to her now. Not that she was married. But he was wrong.

A month ago her poor poor Adam was taken from their home, and beaten. Arrested the Peacekeepers said, for a murder. Soon, one murder turned into three, and all the while Adam was saying that they couldn't do anything to him for he didn't do anything.

**_Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Where the dead man called out for his love to flee?_**

She remembered his last words as they tied that rope around his neck, and the rest over the branch that was going to kill him.

"...don't ever look back."

She cried for hours at that tree. As his feet kicked searching for something to stand up on. After what seemed like hours, he finally stilled, and swung on the rope like he was some sort of ball.

**_Strange things did happen here no stranger would it be, if we met up at midnight in the Hanging Tree._**

He thought he won. The President anyways, when a message came from him a few days later. Saying how sorry he was to hear of her dear husband's death. Of how unfortunate things happen to the unfortunate people.

**_Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Where I told you to run, so we'd both be free?_**

He was laughing at her, but she would have the last laugh. As her feet picked up speed, she cleared the gates to the Hanging Tree. It was almost midnight.

**_Strange things happened here, no stranger would it be, if we met up at midnight in the Hanging Tree._**

Standing still under the grey twisted forbidding thing called a tree, she hiked up her skirt, and started to climb.

**_Are you, are you, coming to the tree? _**

She sat on the very branch that he hung on, and looked down at the ground.

**_Wear a necklace of Rope... _**

Taking the bit of rope that she stole, she quickly tied it around the branch, then pulled the hangman's noose over her head.

**_...Side by side with me._**

Taking a deep breath, she said one last time, "I love you...Adam..." before slipping off the branch to her end.

**_Strange things happen here..._**

When they found her the next day, hanging there, neck broke, and head looking like it could snap off, it was all the Peacekeepers could do trying to keep this quiet. Soon, the tree was cut down, and burned so nothing was left of it. Days gave way to months, months gave way to years, and almost everything was forgotten about this little rebellion, this little challenge from a Victor. That she had taken her own life, on her own terms.

**_...no stranger would it be..._**

Then a song was made, hummed throughout the Districts. A song about the poor girl and her love.

**_If we met up at midnight..._**

But as always the meaning and truth behind anything was long lost in the suffering minds of the people. Only a few knew how to sing it in tune, let alone know all the words to it. Some sang it freely, others forbade it. And in the end only the brave sang of it in their dark lonely corners under the earth never to forget her.

**_...in the Hanging Tree_.**


End file.
